Retractable roller screen



Def-n 29, 1936. A LA'NG 2,065,813

RETEACTAELE ROLLER SCREEN Filed Oct. 28, 1935 2 SheetL--Shee'b l E j Vl V I, Wl/l j 76`/, WWI I0 7 6" .will 26 24 lm 77 I l WNVS 1??.6. 32. l

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Dea 29, 193e. A. LANG 2,065,813

RETRACTABLE ROLLER S CREEN Filed oct. 28, 1935 2 sheets-sheet;

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l f 1 l l5 Tvml /7 I Patented Dec. 29, 1936 UNI-TED STATES PATENT OFFICE 16 Claims.

The present invention relates to a retractable roller screen or shade, and more particularly to a new and novel detent and guide means for a retractable roll type window screen, wherein the detent operates to hold the screen in any desired position without resort to a guide and rack having definitely spaced detent engaging projections.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and novel form of holding means for window screens of the retractable type.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a retractable window screen a new and novel guide and securing means for the free end of the screen.

Another object of the invention is to provide in combination with a retractable window screen, a new and novel form of guide and friction detent means which will be self-energizing.

o In the prior art, to which the present invention relates, it has been the practice to provide a rack or spaced projections along the guide means, between which the roll screen is drawn, against which a suitable screen retaining detent may engage, to thus secure the screen in an extended position against the action of its retracting spring. With such an arrangement it will be readily seen that the screen can only be secured at' the points where these projections are posi- 30 tioned. Therefore in order to provide for a fine adjustment in the elevation of the screen, the projections upon the rack or guides must necessarily be very closely spaced, and as a result their dimensions are limited to a relatively small size and consequently they soon wear away or become damaged, particularly at the points where the screen is most frequently secured. Therefore it is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and novel form of detent means for holding a screen in an extended position which will not require these destructible projections, and which will at the same time permit a securing of the screen at any desired point along the screen guides.

Other objects and advantages will be in part pointed out and in part evident to those skilled in the art as the description thereof proceeds.

In carrying out this invention the screen or shade is provided with a rigid draw bar at the free end thereof that is adapted at its ends to engage suitable guide means, and the guide means is provided with a friction slide or flange against one side of which the end of the draw bar is adapted to slide. Disposed at the rear of said flange, and mounted upon the end of the draw bar, there is a self-energizing detent forming means which operates in response to gravity or spring action, as will hereinafter appear, to engage the opposite side of said friction slide or flange, and clamp the end of the draw bar thereagainst, as the screen spring exerts a retracting force thereupon. The draw bar also carries an operating rod that is connected at its ends with the detent forming means. 'I'his rod is adapted to be rotated by pressure applied upon a suitably disposed thumb rest located along the draw bar, preferably at the center. A spring bias may also be provided for the operating rod where the type of detent used requires an initial operating force to bring it into full frictional engagement with the friction slide or flange.

For a better understanding of the invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein there is shown by way of illustration and not of limitation, several preferred embodiments thereof.

In the drawings;

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view showing a portion of a screen and guide means constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a similar view, showing the reverse side of the arrangement illustrated in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, perspective view, showing a further detail of the arrangement illustrated in Figure 1,

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical, sectional view taken through the draw bar and detent means showing details of a detent arrangement,

Figure 5 is a horizontal, sectional view taken along line V-V of Figure 4 looking in direction, of arrows,

Figures 6, 8, 10 and 12 are enlarged vertical, sectional views taken through the draw bar and modified forms of detent means, and

Figures 7, 9, 11 and 13 are horizontal, sectional views taken along section indicating lines upon the figures of the drawings adjacent thereto.

Upon referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the screen structure here illustrated is in many respects similar to that disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,990,830, issued February 12, 1935, entitled Roller screen. The present invention, and particularly the detent means here in disclosed, is in the nature of an improvement upon the arrangement illustrated in my prior patent.

As shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the screen designated by the numeral l0 has a draw bar I l secured across the free end thereof. The

Ascribed in more detail hereinafter.

edge of the screen I0 and the ends of the draw bar II are preferably disposed in channel-like guides I2, the construction of which will be de- It will be suflicient to here state that the channel guides I2 have a reentrant flange I3 and that each end of the draw bar I I is provided with a suitable detent supporting assembly I4 which will cooperate with the reentrant flange I3 to retain the screenl I0 in an extended position against the action of a retracting spring (not shown) such as is usually provided with a roller upon which the screen I0 is rolled when retracted.

Upon referring to Figure 2 ofthe drawingsyit will be noted that the draw bar II is formed by securing a channel-like front strip I5 and a back strip I6 together with the lower end of the screen I0 interlocked therebetween. The draw bar II thus formed also carries a rubber or felt weather strip I1 which provides for a tight seal upon the sill when the screen I8 is fully closed. Disposed between the channel-like front strip I5 and the back strip I6 of the draw bar II there is an op- `erating rod I8 that is adapted to actuate the detent means, as will hereinafter appear. The detentY operating rool I8 has frontwardly extending projections I9 upon which a suitable thumb rest 28 may be secured at the front of the draw bar II, as is clearly illustrated in Figure l of the drawings.

In the embodiments of the present invention to be hereinafter described, resort may be had to the force-of gravity acting upon the detent means to render it operative, and while the detent means will function in response to this force, in some instances it may be desirable to providethe detent operating rod I8 with a slight initial bias which will supplement the force of gravity.l This is accomplished by mounting a comparatively small spring 2I between `the detent operating rod I8 and the draw bar I I, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. Such a springZI will cause the detent operating rod I8 to rotate in a detent applying direction. y

For a more detailed description of the above andseveral oth-er embodiments of the present invention, reference will now be made to the remaining figures of the drawings in the order in which they appear.

In Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, the draw bar II is shown as having a clip 22 which is bent around the ends of the front channel-like strip member I5 andthe back strip I5 of the draw bar II so as to hold these two parts ilrmly together, and the detent-operating rod I8 is shown` as having its end 23 bent rearwardly and around the reentrant flange I3 upon the channel-like guide I2. Secured upon the end of the draw bar I I by means of the clip 22 there is also a rearwardly disposed member 24 which has a surface 25 that is inclined at an angle with respect to the rear ing spring, the cylindrical detent roller 26 will roll between the inclined surface 25 upon the member 24 and the rear side'of the reentrant flange I3 and thus exert an increasing pressure upon the reentrant flange I3 until the friction between the member 24 and the front side of the reentrant flange I3'is sufficient to overcome the action of the screen retracting spring. This will retain the screen in an extended position. Now, if it is desired to release the detent roll-er 25 the operator may, by exerting a downward pressure upon the thumb piece 28 at the front of the draw bar II, rotate the detent operating rod I8 and thus lift the cylindrical detent roller 25 and hold it in an elevated position, as shown by dot and dash lines, and thus release the friction grip resulting from a rolling of the cylindrical detent roller 26 along the inclined surface 25 of the member 24, as suggested above.

In Figures 6 and '7 of the drawings, the draw bar II, the screen assembly and the detent operating rod I8, are substantially similar to` that described above. In this embodiment, instead of the detent roller 26, the detent means comprises a friction plate 21 at the front of the reentrant flange I3 and a. friction shoe 28 at the rear of the reentrant flange I3. The friction shoe 28 is pivotally mount-ed upon the bent end 23vof the operating rod I8, and the friction plate 21 is held in cooperating relation with the friction shoe 28 by means of rearwardly bent and overhanging arms 29 carried thereby, which engage vertical grooves 30 in the back and at the ends of the friction shoe 28. With this arrangement it will be noted by an inspection of Figure '7 of the drawings, that the friction shoe 28 will be held upon the bent end 23 of the operating rod I8 by a wall 3I of the channel guide I3 and upon the reentrant flange I3 by the rearwardly projecting portion of the detent operating rod I8. Cooperating with Ythe friction plate 21, the draw bar II has a securing clip 32 which is shown as provided with a verticallyv extending transverse ridge 33 that is adapted to engage Vthe outside surface of the friction plate 2'I. Ihisv ridge 33 engages the friction plate 21 centrally of the reentrant ilange I3 andV permits anV alignment of the friction plate 21 evenly upon the front surface of the reentrant flange I3. Y n

From the above it might appear that the assembly of the parts in this manner would be difcult, but when consideration is given to the fact that the parts are rst assembled together upon the draw `bar andV then moved into the guide through an open end thereof, it will be readily seen that the assembly offers no difficulties. At the same time, after the parts have been assembled in this manner, there is no possibility of their becoming disassembled or rendered inoperative.

In other words, by the simple expedient of the rearwardly bent detent operating rod, the assembly is accomplished in a simple manner. In connection with this assembly, attention is drawn to the fact that the reentrant flange I3 is disposed somewhat inwardly from the edge of the channel I2 where the draw bar I I projects therethrough. This detail is not necessary to the application of the present embodiment of this invention, but such an arrangement has the advantage that it insures a clean sliding surface for the detent means, as it will not be exposed to the accumulation of paint should the channel guides I2 be painted after assembling.

With this arrangement, when the screen Ill with its draw bar II moves upwardly in response to any force exerted by its retracting spring, the friction shoe 28 will, by virtue of its disposition opposite the axis of rotation of the operating rod I8, grip the rear side of the reentrant flange I3 and thus, by a component of the upward force exerted by the retracting spring through the screen I0, draw the friction plate 2'I in frictional engagement with the front surface of the reentrant flange I3 and clamp the draw bar II against upward movement. This, of course, presumes a free rotation of the detent operating rod i8 due to gravity and/or a slight bias thereupon as by means of the spring 2i previously referred to in connection with Figure 3 of the drawings.

Now, if it is desired to release the screen I0, this can be accomplished by exerting downward pressure upon the thumb rest 20, which will be provided at the front of the draw bar I I, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. Such a rotation of the detent operating rod i8 will cause the bent end 23 thereof to move upwardly and carry the friction shoe 28 through a slight arc and out of engagement with the rear side of the reentrant flange I3 and release the pressure between the friction plate 2l and the front side of the reentrant flange I3.

In Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings, there is shown a further modification of a detent means which is adaptable for use with a screen I6 and a draw bar l I similar to that above described. In this embodiment the draw bar II is formed with the detent operating rod I8 rotatably mounted between the channel-like front strip I5 and the back strip I6. The operating rod i8, as has been previously described, is provided with the rearwardly bent end 23 which extends around and in back of the reentrant flange I3 upon the channellike guides I2. In this embodiment of the invention, the draw bar I I is provided with a securing clip 34 at each end for securing the front and back strips l5 and IB together at their ends. This clip 34 is also provided with turned down edges 35 at its top and bottom which engage and secure a rearwardly disposed detent supporting member'b upon the draw bar. The detent supporting member 36 bears against the front surface of the reentrant flange I3 and at the rear thereof has a pivot forming recess 3l into which the aXis of a rotatable cam 38 is disposed. As shown, the cam 33 has an eccentric outer surface 3S that engages the rear surface of the reentrant fiange I3 with an increasing pressure as the draw bar II moves upwardly and the cam member 3B, as Viewed in Figure 8 of the drawings, rotates in a counterclockwise direction. The free end of the cam-like member 33 is disposed above the bent end 23 of the opening rod I8, where it will be engaged thereby when the operating rod I3 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction by the exertion of pressure upon its thumb rest 25J. In order to insure a positive engagement between the cam surface 39 of the cam member 38 and the rear surface of the reentrant flange I3, the member t6 carries a leaf spring it which exerts a slight downward pressure upon the free end of the cam-like member 38. With this arrangement it will be seen that as the draw bar il is urged upwardly under the influence of the screen retracting spring, the cam-like member 33, because of its engagement with the rear side of the reentrant flange i3, will rotate in a countercloclrwise direction and thus draw the friction surface of the member 3S against the front side of the reentrant flange i3 and clamp the draw bar ii and the screen I@ securely upon the reentrant flange I3 and against movement in response to any force exerted by the screen retracting spring. Now, if it is desired to release the friction grip thus formed and raise the screen it, this can be accomplished by applying pressure to the thumb rest 20 and rotating the detent operating rod I8 carried by the draw bar Il. Such a rotation of the detent operating rod I8 will cause its bent end 23 to move into engagement with the camlike member t8 and raise it against the action of the spring @all and out of clamping engagement with the rear surface of the reentrant flange I3. The draw bar li and the screen can then be raised to any position desired, after which a release of the pressure upon the thumb rest Eil will permit the cam-like member' 38 to again engage the reentrant flange I3 and clamp the draw bar Ii thereupon.

In Figures l0 and ll of the drawings, there is shown an embodiment of the present invention, wherein one of the detent elements is formed integrally upon the end of the detent operating rod. In this embodiment the reentrant flange iii-upon the guide members I2 is also shown as disposed to one side of the opening in the guide channel through which the ends of the draw bar i i extend. As here illustrated, the draw bar i i is constructed in a manner similar to that previously described, but unlike the previously described embodiments, the detent operating rod il has integrally formed a rearwardly projecting cam-like extension 42 upon its ends which is adapted to engage the front surface of the adjacent reentrant flange i3. In addition to the rearwardly projecting cam-like extension ft2 upon the detent operating rod li I, this embodiment has a rearwardly disposed member 3 which has a friction surface 14 that is adapted to engage the rear side of the reentrant flange I3. The member i3 may be secured upon the end of the draw bar I I in any suitable manner. As illustrated in Figure ll of the drawings, this member i3 is secured upon the ends of the draw bar II by means of an L-shaped bracket 55 which is riveted and/or spot-welded to the draw bar. In this particular arrangement the draw bar il is made somewhat shorter than the draw bar proper, and its bent end 23, instead of passing around the reentrant flange I3, is so disposed that it will be located substantially centrally of the reentrant flange i3 upon the guide channel l2. From an examination of Figure ll of the drawings, it will be seen that as the draw bar I! is urged upwardly under the inuence of the screen retracting spring, the cam-like extension 42 upon the end of the draw bar il will roll upon and engage the front surface of the reentrant flange I3 with a constantly increasing pressure until the friction surface ed upon the member [i3 overcomes the action of the screen retracting spring. In this embodiment, like. those previously described, resort may be had to the force of gravity as an actuating force upon the detent by constructing the cam-like members 42 of suflicient weight to rotate the detent operating rod 6l in a clockwise direction. If desired resort may also be had to the use of the spring 2l upon the operating rod Lil, as has been previously suggested. Now, if it is desired to release the draw bar l I and permit a raising of the screen IB, this can be accomplished by exerting pressure upon the thumb rest 2@ of the draw bar i i and rotating the detent operating rod il in a counterclockwise direction. This will release the pressure between the reentrant flange I3 and the surface le upon the member i3 and permit the screen to be freely moved up or down.

In Figures l2 and 13 of the drawings, there is shown another embodiment of the invention which is in many respects similar to that illustrated in Figures and 5 of the drawings. In this latter embodiment, however, instead of the cylindrical detent forming roller 26 there is provided a wedgelike member 46. As here shown, the draw bar I I has a clip 41 which is adapted to secure the front and back strips I5 and I6 of the draw bar II together and at the same time this clip 4l supports a rearwardly disposed wedge supporting member 48 into which the wedge 46 may be disposed. The member 48 has an inclined surface 49 against which one side of the wedge 46 is adapted to operate. The other side of the wedge 46 engages the rear side of the reentrant flange I3 so that when an upward movement is imparted to the draw bar I I, the wedge 46 will become wedged between the rear of the reentrant flange I3 and the surface 49 upon the member 48 and thus secure the screen I0 and the draw bar Il against further upward movement. To provide for a control of the Wedge 46 by means of the operating rod I8, the wedge 46 is provided with an opening 5I) into which the bent end 23 of the operating rod I8 is disposed. With this arrangement it will be seen that when the operating rod I8 is free to move under the influence of gravity and/or the spring 2 I should the latter be provided, the wedge 46 will become tightly wedged against the rear surface of the reentrant flange I3 where it will hold the screen, as suggested above. Now, if it is desired to release the. wedge 46 and permit an upward movement of the screen l0, this can be accomplished by applying pressure to the thumb rest 20 upon the draw bar I I and rotating the operating rod I8 in a counterclockwise direction. This rotation of the operating rod I8 will lift the wedge 46 and thus release the friction grip upon the. reentrant flange I3 provided thereby.

From the above description it will be seen that the present invention provides a detent means for a spring retractable screen or shade which is adapted to hold the screen in any desired position between its limits of movement. It will also be noted that the detent means herein provided entirely dispenses with the use of ratchet engaging projections and/or any such rack-like arrangement which may become destroyed by constant use. It will also be noted that when the detent means provided by this invention is released, the screen and its draw bar may be moved up cr down between the limits of its travel in a silent manner. That is, without the usual racking noise such as exists where the detent requires a series of ratchet receiving projections upon the guide means.

A further advantage of the present invention which will be obvious after a consideration of the several constructions illustrated and described,

`is that the draw bar with its detent means serves to center the screen between and substantially free of the guide channels except when the detent means is in operation to secure the screen against movement.

While V'I have, for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose the invention so that the same can be readily understood, described and illustrated specific devices and arrangements, I desire to have. it understood that this invention is not limited to the specific means disclosed, but 'may be embodied in other ways that will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art. It is believed that this invention is new and it is desired to claim it so that all such changes as come within the scope of the appended claims are to be considered as part of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. In an improved roll screen,'the combination of a draw bar secured across the free'end of a retractable screen for moving same, a guide extending along a side of said screen, said guide having a vertically extending flange against one side of which an end of saiddraw bar is adapted to slide, a detent member supported upon said end of the draw bar and frictionally engaging the 0pposite side of said vertically extending flange, and an operating rod extending across said draw bar with an end bent into operating relation with said friction detent member.

2. In an improved roll screen, the combination of a draw bar secured across the free end of a. retractable screen for moving same, a guide extending along a side of said screen, said guide having a vertically extending smooth flange against one side of which an end of said draw bar is adapted to slide, a detent member operable in response to a retracting movement of the screen supported upon Ysaid end of the draw bar and frictionally engaging the opposite side of said smooth flange, and an operating rod mounted upon said draw bar with its end bent into operating relation with said friction detent member for rendering said detent member inoperative to permit a retraction of the screen.

3. In an improved roll screen, the combination of a draw bar secured across the free end of a retractable screen for moving same, a guide extending along a side of said screen into which the end of said draw bar extends, said guide having a vertically extending Vtwo-sided flange against one side of which the end of said draw bar is adapted to slide, a rearwardly disposed friction detent member supported at the end of said draw bar and engaging the opposite side of said two-sided flange, and an operating rod extending across and rotatably'mounted upon said draw bar with its end connected in operating relation with said friction detent member.

4. In an improved roll screen, the combination of a rigid draw bar secured across the free end of a retractable roll screen, a guide disposed at the side of said screen along which it is adapted to be drawn, said guide having a slide forming flange along one side of which said draw bar is adapted to slide, a detent supporting member attached to the end of said draw bar and extending around to the other side of said slide forming flange, and a gravity responsive detent carried by said detent supporting member engaging the rear side of said slide forming flange and operable in response to an upward movement of said draw bar to frictionally engage. said slide forming flange and clamp said draw bar thereagainst and hold said screen in an extended position.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4, wherein the detent supporting member has a surface spaced from and inclined with respect to said slide forming flange and the gravity responsive detent consists of a roller element disposed between the inclined surface upon the detent supporting member and said slide forming flange.

6. The combination set forth in claim 4, wherein the detent supporting member has a surface spaced from and inclined with respect to said slide forming flange and the gravity responsive detent consists of a wedge-like member disposed between the inclined surface upon the detent supporting member and said slide forming flange.

7. In an improved roll screen, the combination of a rigid draw bar secured across the free end of a retractable roll screen, a channel-like guide disposed along a side of said screen along which the screen is adapted to be drawn, said channellike guide having a reentrant flange disposed substantially centrally thereof along one side of which said draw bar is adapted to slide, a detent supporting member attached at the end of said draw bar and extending around said reentrant ange, and a detent carried by said detent supporting member engaging the other side of said reentrant flange, said detent being operable in response to an upward movement of said draw bar to frictionally engage said reentrant flange and clamp said draw bar thereagainst and hold said screen in an extended position.

8. In an improved roll screen, the combination of a draw bar secured across the free end of a retractable roll screen for extending same, a detent operating rod rotatably mounted upon said draw bar, a guide disposed along a side of said screen over which one end of said draw bar is adapted to be drawn, said guide having a ange disposed in a plane parallel with the screen against one side of which an end of said draw bar will slide when the screen is extended thereby, and detent means engaging the other side of said flange operating in response to upward movement of and cooperating with said draw bar to grip said flange and hold the screen in an extended position.

9. The combination set forth in claim 8, wherein the detent means consists of an eccentric camlike member which upon slight rotation will exert a pressure upon said iiange and clamp the draw bar thereagainst.

10. rIhe combination set forth in claim 8, wherein the detent means consists of a right angle extension on the detent operating rod having a iiange engaging surfacewhich is eccentric to the axis of said detent operating rod.

11. In an improved roll screen, the combination of a draw bar secured across the free end of a retractable roll screen for extending same, a guide disposed along a side of said screen along which it is adapted to be drawn, said guide having a smooth reentrant flange upon which said end of the draw bar will slide when the screen is extended thereby, a detent operating rod rotatably mouned upon said draw bar and having its end bent around the reentrant flange upon said spaced guide, and detent means upon the end of said detent operating rod engaging the other side of said reentrant flange and operating in response to an upward movement of the draw bar to grip said flange and hold the screen in an extended position.

12. An improved guide for roll screens of the character described, comprising a channel-like member having four sides with an opening extending throughout its length in one side thereof into which the end of a screen draw bar may project, and a reentrant flange disposed intermediate the four sides of the channel-like member throughout its length by bending a free edge thereof upon itself for a short distance and then outwardly into the space surrounded by the four walls of the member.

13. In an improved roll screen, the combination of a guide for a retractable screen having a ange forming a grip surface for a clamping detent, a draw bar at the free end of a retractable screen for drawing the screen along said guide, a rod extending along and rotatably mounted upon said draw bar, and a self-energizing gripping detent disposed at the end of said draw bar adapted to grip the iiange upon said guide as the retractable screen exerts a pull thereupon.

14. In an improved roll screen, the combination of a guide for a retractable screen having a flange forming a grip surface for a clamping detent, a draw bar at the end of the retractable screen adapted to slide along said guide, a rod extending along and rotatably mounted upon said draw bar, a self-energizing gripping means upon an end of said draw bar adapted to grip said flange fr as the screen exerts a pulling force upon said draw bar, and a connection between said rod and said gripping means whereby said gripping means may be released by rotation of said rod.

15. In an improved roll screen, the combination of a guide strip having a front and back friction surface disposed along the path of movement of a retractable screen, a draw bar at the free end of the retractable screen for moving same along said guide strip, a rotatable rod secured upon said draw bar having its ends extending around said guide strip, a friction plate disposed between the end of said draw bar and the front friction surface of said guide strip, and a friction shoe upon the end of said operating rod engaging the back friction surface of said guide strip.

16. In an improved roll screen of the character described, the combination of a draw bar at the free end of a retractable screen, a friction surface forming member disposed along a side of said screen having its opposite surfaces exposed to the gripping action of a detent means, an operating rod rotatably mounted upon said draw bar, a friction gripping means having opposed members disposed one against each side of said friction surface forming member, the opposed members of said friction gripping means being lsecured upon said draw bar an-d held in cooperating relation with the opposite surfaces of said friction surface forming member by bending the end of said rod around and in back of said friction surface forming member.

ALBERT LANG. 

